Author: Gwangi

My name is Arthur but I go by Gwangi on the blogs and forums, as homage to the old dinosaur and monster movies I love so much. In addition to writing about and collecting toy animals (extinct and extant) I also share my home with a variety of living animals, mostly reptiles but a little bit of everything. I have a lifelong interest in all things nature and natural history and most of my hobbies can be linked to those things in some way. I currently live in Maryland with my wife and daughters. In addition to writing on here I also write magazine articles, typically about local wildlife and aquarium fishes.

All reviews by this author

Review: Gallimimus (Jasman)

Genus: Gallimimus Brand: Jasman Classification: Ornithomimosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3.6 (5 votes)

Gallimimus and ornithomimosauria in general are poorly represented in the world of dinosaur models and toys. Recently CollectA fixed this with their outstanding figure of Deinocheirus but Deinocheirus is only known from scant remains and while it is a marvelous example of the group we could still use more figures of the better known genera.

Review: Chalicotherium (Bullyland)

Genus: Chalicotherium Brand: Bullyland Classification: Mammal Age: Miocene Type: Figurine

4.6 (5 votes)

To celebrate Bullyland’s highly anticipated re-release of their prehistoric mammal collection I felt it was a good time to review the only Bullyland mammal figure I actually own, the Chalicotherium. For those of you out of the loop on this a brief overview is in order. Bullyland is a German toy company notable for producing its figures right in Germany.

Review: Sinosauropteryx (Dinotales Series 1 by Kaiyodo)

Genus: Sinosauropteryx Brand: Kaiyodo Classification: Compsognathid, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.6 (7 votes)

Over two decades after paleontologist John Ostrom described Deinonychus and subsequently launched the “Dinosaur Renaissance” yet a new genus would be found that would change the public perception of dinosaurs and finally bring forth the last piece of evidence needed to connect dinosaurs to birds. Sinosauropteryx prima was the first non-avian dinosaur to be found with a covering of feathers on its body.

Review: Diplodocus (1988) (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd.)

Genus: Diplodocus Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd Classification: Diplodocoid, Sauropod Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

4.6 (16 votes)

Diplodocus is one of those all American sauropods every kid grew up with, right alongside Apatosaurus and Brachiosaurus. Described in 1878 it is still the longest known sauropod from a complete skeleton. It is no wonder then, that the Carnegie Collection would include this animal in their original 1988 lineup of museum quality replicas.

Review: Baryonyx (The Lost World: Jurassic Park by Kenner)

Genus: Baryonyx Brand: Jurassic Park, Kenner Classification: Spinosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Action Figure

3.1 (13 votes)

In the world of toy dinosaurs few have suffered like the Baryonyx. Despite repeated attempts to fashion a model of this spinosaurid, only one can be said to have been successful and it was the first ever produced, the Invicta 1989 figure. Since then numerous attempts have been made and most have failed.

Review: Acrocanthosaurus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd.)

Genus: Acrocanthosaurus Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd Classification: Allosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3 (29 votes)

With the 2012 release of the highly anticipated Wild Safari Acrocanthosaurus, I thought it only fitting to do a review on the older Carnegie model, which I have only just recently been able to obtain. Acrocanthosaurus was an early Cretaceous relative of theropods such as Carcharodontosaurus and Giganotosaurus.

Review: Dilophosaurus (Boston Museum of Science Collection by Battat)

Genus: Dilophosaurus Brand: Battat Classification: Theropod, Theropod (basal) Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

3.8 (10 votes)

Before I begin my review of this figure, I would like to confess something. I’m a bit terrified writing this. It took me a fair bit of effort to work up the gumption to write for this blog to begin with, but now I’m trying to tackle a dinosaur toy heavyweight… one of the legendary Battat figures.

Review: Deinonychus (Tyco)

Genus: Deinonychus Brand: Tyco Classification: Dromaeosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Action Figure

3 (8 votes)

If your average person were hard pressed to name every dinosaur that came to mind we all know the names that would crop up; Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, and since 1993…Velociraptor. I can’t think of many genera that achieved so much fame so fast, at least not since the so called golden age of paleontology in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s when most well known dinosaurs were discovered.

Review: Polacanthus (CollectA)

Genus: Polacanthus Brand: CollectA Classification: Ankylosaur, Nodosaur, Thyreophoran Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

2.3 (13 votes)

I’m really starting to dig this dinosaur review thing. I’ve always enjoyed writing and learning about, and doing anything that involved dinosaurs, so naturally I would have to give this a try and as you can tell I’ve gotten fond of it. Hopefully my reviews are meeting the standards of the blog, feel free to let me know.

Review: Therizinosaurus (Dinosaurs of China by Safari Ltd.)

Genus: Therizinosaurus Brand: Dinos of China, Safari Ltd Classification: Therizinosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3.3 (12 votes)

The year 1993 was a big year for dinosaur fanatics, the most obvious reason being the release of Jurassic Park in June of that year. It is difficult for me, and likely others of my generation, to grasp just how long ago that was and how much has changed since.

Review: Apatosaurus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd.)

Genus: Apatosaurus, Brontosaurus Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd Classification: Diplodocoid, Sauropod Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

4.4 (14 votes)

Everyone familiar with dinosaurs knows the name Apatosaurus, and those not familiar with dinosaurs probably are familiar with it but still call it Brontosaurus despite a name change over 100 years ago. I won’t bother getting into any of that as anyone reading this review most likely already knows the story.

Review: Dilophosaurus (Jurassic Park by Dakin)

Genus: Dilophosaurus Brand: Dakin, Jurassic Park Classification: Theropod, Theropod (basal) Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

3.4 (5 votes)

Just under a year ago I came to the Dinosaur Toy Forum inquiring about a small Jurassic Park Dilophosaurus figure, an almost forgotten memory of my childhood. I didn’t know who manufactured it or where to find one but with the help of other forum members I quickly learned about the figure in question.

Review: Tyrannosaurus (Great Dinosaurs Collection by Safari Ltd.)

Genus: Tyrannosaurus Brand: Great Dinosaurs, Safari Ltd Classification: Theropod, Tyrannosaur Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

2.5 (16 votes)

Tyrannosaurus rex is a dinosaur that needs no introduction from me. Regardless of your knowledge concerning dinosaurs this is one species that everyone is familiar with. Because of its fame it is perhaps the species most reproduced in toy form, for better or worse. This review concerns the treatment of the species by Safari’s Great Dinosaurs Collection; a model that has a lot of misses but a couple surprising hits.

Review: Therizinosaurus (Great Dinosaurs Collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Therizinosaurus Brand: Great Dinosaurs, Safari Ltd Classification: Therizinosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3 (23 votes)

Review and photos by Gwangi
If you were purchasing dinosaur toys two decades ago there is one family you wouldn’t have seen represented at all, the Therizinosauridae. Though known to science since 1954 it is a family that was very poorly known only until recently. Therizinosaurs represent just how little we know about dinosaurs and how much we still have to learn, who knows what entire families of dinosaurs we’ll find within the next couple decades!

Review: Woolly rhinoceros (AAA)

Genus: Coelodonta, Woolly rhinoceros Brand: AAA Classification: Mammal Age: Pleistocene Type: Figurine Scale: 1:28

2.9 (11 votes)

Everyone familiar with Pleistocene fauna is familiar with the woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis), a large shaggy rhino that lived in Eurasia and died out at the end of the Ice Age. It is often reproduced in toy form, only less so that the more popular mammoths and Smilodon.

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